Counter guard



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Feb. 9 1926. Y

s. J. SMITH COUNTER GUARD Filed Jan'. 28, 1925 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES SEYBERT J. SMITH, OF CHADWICK, ILLINOIS.

COUNTER GUARD.

Application filed January To a'ZZ lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SEYBERT J. SMITH, citizen of the United States, residing at Chadwick, in the county of Carroll and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Counter Guard, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in counter guards, and is more particularly adapted to a protector `for use in commercial institutions such as banks for protecting the cashier against an attempted hold-up by burglars.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a counter guard wherein the protector which shields the cashier when an attampt is made to hold him up, may be actuated either by the cashier or by other persons in other parts of the room or building.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a counter guard of the above mentioned character, wherein the guard normally provides a desk lid, the latch which normally holds the guard in the position for use as a desk lid, being adapted to be released by a suitable foot control mechanism, means being associated with the guard for automatically swinging the same upwardly into inoperative position as a protector shield for the chashier when latch is released.

A still further object is to provide a counter guard of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which the same is designated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the counter and window of a cashiers cage showing the manner in which the lid is associated with the counter, the actuating means for the lid being shown in elevation, and

Fig. 2 is a detail of the spring hinge which secures the lid to the inner edge of the counter.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 28, 1925. serial No. 5,404.

designates the counter of a cashiers cage, the cashiers window arranged above the counter being illustrated generally at 2. A lid 3 is secured to the inner edge of the counter 1 at a point adjacent the window by suitable spring hinges such as is shown generally at 4. The upper face of the lid has secured thereto the bullet-proof shield or plate 5. Ihen used as a desk, the lid 3 is inclined downwardly toward its outer free edge as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

A bracket 6 is secured below the counter 1 adjacent the inner edge thereof. A curved arm 7 is secured at one end to the underside of the lid 3 at a point adjacent the hinged end thereof, the free end of said curved arm extending through a suitable opening provided therefor in the bracket 6.

The free end of the curved arm which is in the form of a rod is threaded and receives a nut 8 whereby the displacement of the free end of the curved arm from the opening in the bracket is prevented, when the lid 3 is swung in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

An eXpensible coiled spring 9 encircles the curved arm 7 and is disposed between the underside of the hinged lid 3 and the bracket 6.

A tongue 10 is secured to the bottom face of the hinged lid 3 and cooperating therewith is the pivoted latch 11, the same being supported in the outer end `of a supporting arm 12, the inner end of which is secured to the bracket 6. When the latch 11 is in engagement with the tongue 10, the hinged lid 3 is in the position as shown in Fig. 1 and the expansible coiled spring 9 is placed under tension as is also the spring 13 associated with each of the hinges 4. The latch and tongue cooperate to permitthe lid to be used as a desk by the cashier behind the counter.

For the purpose of releasing the latch from engagement with the tongue 10, there is provided a chain 14, the upper end being secured to the pivoted latch, the lower end extends through a suitable opening 15 provided in the floor 16. A foot treadle 17 is pivotally supported as at 18 in a suitable bracket secured on the floor and the same 4,is operatively connected to the adjacent portion of the chain 14. The provision of the foot treadle 17 enables the cashier to control or actuate the releasing of the latch for the tongue whenever it becomes necessary.

In order that the latch may be released from a point remote from the cashiers cage by other persons in various parts of the building upon being given a suliicient warning, provide a chain 19, the, same being secured to the lower end of the chain 14 and extending over suitable guide pulleys 2O and being secured at its opposite end to a foot treadle 21 which is disposed or supported on the floor below the first mentioned floor. An additional chain 22 is also secured to the lower end ot the chain 14 and is trained over suitable guide pulleys E23 `similar to the guide pulley 20, the chain 22 being` secured at its opposite ends to a foot treadle 24e located on the upper floor.

It is to be understood that any number oit additional chains may be operatively connected to the main chain 14 whereby the latch mechanism may be actuated from any suitable point remote from the cashiers caOe.

Ilrom the foregoing description, it will be seen that when a burglar attempts to hold up the cashier, by actuating the chain 1/1, the latch 11 will be released from engagement with the tongue 1() and the coiled 'spring 9 as well as the 'spring 13 associated with the hinges will automatically swing the lid upwardly to the position shown in the dotted line, thereby shielding the cashier against being shot by the bullet Iired by the burglar' through the window 2. The metallic plate 5 which is constructed of bulletprootl material will deflect the bullets striking the lid, thus protecting the cashier against 'serious injury.

While I have 'shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is In combination with a counter, and a cashiers window above the same, an npwardly swinging lid hingedly secured to the inner edge or' said counter adjacent said window, a bracket supported below the counter, a supporting arm secured at one end to said bracket and extending inwardly below said lid, a tongue secured on the bottom of the lid, a pivoted latch supported on the inner edge of said supporting arm and engaging said tongue for normally holding the lid in a position for use as a desk, foot operated means tor releasing said latch i'roin engagement, means for automatically swinging the lid upwardly to provide a protector shield for a person behind the window, said last mentioned means comprising a curved arm secured at one end to the bottom ot the lid, the Vfree end of said curved arm being disposed through an opening provided therefor in said supporting bracket, and an expansible coiled spring encircling the curved arm and disposed between said bracket and the bottom of the lid.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

SEYBERT J. SMITH. 

